ADB approves green financing for river restoration project
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100 million loan for the Anhui Huangshan Xin’an River Ecological Protection and Green Development Project in China. The scheme will upgrade the sewage and storm-water management facilities in the municipality of Huangshan and four surrounding county urban areas.
The construction of river embankments will provide more protection from floods and enhance the municipal government’s capacity to better manage water resources and flood forecasting. The project will also improve the sewage treatment system of townships and villages and encourage the use of organic fertilizer and biological pesticides to lessen the rural pollution of the Xin’an River.
A key feature of the project is the roll-out of green development funds aimed to incentivise farmers — through cash grants — to adopt sustainable farm management practices, as well as provide capital to small and medium-sized enterprises involved in businesses that promote environmental protection and preservation. The project is expected to be completed by mid-2026.
